tures; it comprises not only time, but also eternity: he reigns over every thing without one single exception; without receiving this truth we cannot rest in his hands, as clay in the hands of the potter; nor can we say at all times, "thy will be done." "He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations. Let not the rebellious exalt themselves." 1

There was a time when Nebuchadnezzar lived without God in the world, and without hope. He was an atheist, worshipping no being, but himself, as God. But God could reclaim and subdue him, when he pleased: he was afterwards taught of God, "and at the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand or say unto him, What doest thou?" The application is easy. Let this be the language of our hearts at all times.

2

1 Psalm lxvi. 7.

2 Dan. iv. 34, 35.

When many enemies within and without rage against us, or when clouds and darkness seem to surround us, in the midst of all, may we recollect this, that thou art not only a God infinitely powerful, but also infinitely wise, and that thy love to us unworthy beings, is commensurate with thy wisdom and with thy power. Some of you here present may be regretting the loss of temporal things, and that regret embittered by the thought, that the loss was occasioned by your own folly. Don't be discouraged; God may out of your ignorance and thoughtlessness, extract a blessing upon you: have patience; wait a little moment, and you will then be obliged to confess, "He doeth all things well." You have erred in a thousand instances, but remember, He never errs. Have patience, and when he is depriving you of one thing after another, remember, he is only destroying every unnecessary connexion with the things of this world, and preparing you for eternity. Is it not a rich blessing that his government is universal, and that he rules over all things, temporal as well as spiritual, for his people? May every individual care be immediately dismissed from our bosom, and may we be continually praying, 'Do thou, O Lord, care for me; guide me by thy counsels here, and afterwards receive me up into glory.'

There is another thing to be considered -that God rules in the least things and events, as well as in the greatest. If we deny this, we shall immediately run into the grossest absurdity: for there is the most intimate and necessary connexion in the world, between great and little things. Some individuals, reasoning very absurdly, live and act as though some things were not under the control and cognizance of God; but there is no contingency with Deity; he knows and governs all things from eternity to eternity. There is nothing in the natural or spiritual world that can arise without a cause. Our Saviour says, "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and yet I say unto you, not one of them falleth to the ground without your heavenly father; but the very hairs of your head are all numbered; fear ye not, therefore: are ye not of more value than many sparrows?" Connected with this is the truth, that the spiritual concerns of his people are under the minute and immediate government of Jehovah the fault is, that we attempt too soon to interpret the ways of God.

Again-III. GOD'S GOVERNMENT IN GRACE

INVOLVES HIS REIGN OR GOVERNMENT IN PRO

VIDENCE; in other words, providence is only

one of the provinces of the kingdom of his grace. Invariably keep this in view, and every thing in providence, while you look up to him as a God of grace, will be blessed to you : though they may seem to frown, yet all things will work together for good. Whatever your trials in providence may be, yet if they teach you to prize, and to trust in God more, and to be more attached to uncreated good, and less attached to created good, they are a rich blessing, and a high honor is conferred upon you, by the King of kings. It is our privilege and our duty to watch over ourselves, to see how we stand in his presence. If this be our state, this is our daily prayer; 'Whatever my sufferings may be here below, endear thyself to me, O God, and while I see more and more my own nothingness, may I behold more and more, thy sufficiency.

Again: God's reigning in grace in the heart, proves clearly, and indeed nothing is more clear, that God is the king of the believer in a peculiarly glorious manner; and it proves, likewise, that man is one of God's most glorious subjects. To have a heart naturally hostile to the King of kings, and to have a new spirit infused into this heart, diametrically opposed to this natural hostility, and in unison with the will of the King of kings, is a high honor for a

worm. Let us prostrate ourselves before him, and pray to be desirous, that in all things we may be under his power. What is a proof that I am a subject of this king? Faith in the righteousness of Christ, an implicit confidence in this righteousness of Christ. We sometimes are tempted to say we are too bad to be saved: this is not humility—it is pride and rebellion; the truly humble man bows down to the righteousness of Jesus; he dares not oppose anything to the righteousness and truth of his God; and he accepts it, and falls down to the dust in self-abasement and wonder, that God would confer such honor upon such a wretch. This is an evidence that will beat down hosts of enemies. What reason can be given, that I should not submit to his righteousness? It is a righteousness that was needed by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and by the Apostles; and what peculiarity is there in me: they had many enemies in their bosoms, and how did they subdue them?-By faith in the righteousness of Christ.

Again there will be another evidence,-the pulse of the soul will beat high on this subject, and desire to be submissive to God in every particular. This was the desire of St. Paul; the flesh was continually striving against the Spirit, yet by faith he was enabled to bring